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Holy Chit - Circle hooks required on Maine Tube-n-Worms!!

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Roccus7

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Just go this today.  @Crozzbow will NOT be amused.  Looks like Gulp sand/bloodworm sales will be going up!!

 

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Recreational fishermen,

The Department of Marine Resources has taken emergency action to modify the circle hook requirements for striped bass in order to come into compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan. 

Below is a summary of the regulation which takes effect today, December 16.  

Concise Summary:

In order to come into compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan, the Department is implementing regulatory changes to expand the required use of circle hooks in the recreational striped bass fishery. Specifically, this emergency rulemaking makes it unlawful to use any hook other than a circle hook when fishing for striped bass with bait. In doing so, this emergency rulemaking removes the exception that previously exempted those fishing for striped bass with baited rubber or latex tube rigs from having to use circle hooks.

Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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3 hours ago, Roccus7 said:

Just go this today.  @Crozzbow will NOT be amused.  Looks like Gulp sand/bloodworm sales will be going up!!

Your right, I'm not amused

Of the thousands of Striped Bass that I caught and released over the years trolling tube and live worm set-ups, I can probably count the number of fish on one hand, that were gut hooked or worse by those rigs.

While the prospect of catching fish isn’t the only reason I love being on the water, it is one of the best excuses I have for continuing to go there.

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Simple solution here: cram a Gulp worm up inside the tube and you are not fishing with bait. While using this setup years ago, I outfished the late great JonS by a 5-1 ratio in a noted bass mecca. He was baffled that the bass were attacking the loaded tube but being selective with his tube that had live worm on it. Gulp inside the tube holds its scent far better than a real worm that is being dragged through the water. 

Just imagine how happy you would be if you lost everything you have in life and then suddenly got it back
SOL Member #101

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I tried googling this and couldn't find anything.  Is there a full article somewhere with all the rules surrounding this?  

 

Anyway, I have 2 unopened bags of gulp sandworms (1 red, 1 natural) and another bag of sandworm-like soft plastics.

 

If they really want to help conservation, outlaw the commercial fishery for stripers on the entire east coast!

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Here's the root of the Evil...

 

On October 21, 2020, the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Board) of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) met electronically as part of the 79th Annual Meeting to review the specifications for implementing the new circle hook requirement along the Atlantic coast.

 

Approved in October 2019, the change to the Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) implemented coastwide harvest reductions put in place in 2020, while also requiring the mandatory use of circle hooks when fishing with bait to reduce release mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries.  As per the FMP, states are required to implement circle hook requirements by January 1, 2021.

 

At the October 21 meeting, each state provided its implementation plan complete with any requested exemptions for review and approval. While the proposed regulatory language varied slightly from state to state, at its core the meaning and intent was consistent across all proposals.  The only states that submitted exemption requests were Maine, Massachusetts and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission (though the Potomac River Fisheries Commission subsequently withdrew its exemption request and modified its proposal for year-round circle hook requirement).
 

Maine asked that rubber or latex tube rigs be exempt from the circle hook restriction as long as they conform with the following: the lure must consist of a minimum of 8 inches of latex rubber tubing with a single hook protruding from the end portion of the tubing where bait may be attached. Use of treble hooks is not allowed with these rigs.

 

Massachusetts sought a circle hook exemption for anglers fishing onboard for-hire vessels; furthermore, Massachusetts asked that the circle hook requirement for shore-bound and private shall not apply to any artificial lure designed to be trolled, cast and retrieved, or vertically jigged with natural bait attached.

 

Prior to withdrawing their exemption request, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission sought to have the circle requirement not be required prior to May 1 during catch and release season (barbless hooks required).

 

A motion was made by Tom Fote (NJ) and seconded by Dennis Abbot (NH) to approve the implementation plans but to prohibit any states from gear or user exemptions. A motion to substitute was then made by Megan Ware (ME) to approve the implementation plans and exemptions with the exception of the Massachusetts for-hire exemption; it was seconded by Justin Davis (CT). After lengthy discussion, the motion failed by a count of five in favor (RI, ME, MA, DE, NC), eight opposed (DC, PA, NJ, VA, NH, NY, MD, VA, NC PRFC), one null (CT), and two abstains (USFWS, NMFS).

 

The original motion was then called and it passed with a vote of 15 in favor (ME, NH, MA, RI, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, PRFC, VA, NC, NMFS, USFWS) and one opposed (CT) thereby approving and requiring the use of circle hooks by all recreational anglers when targeting striped bass with any kind of live or dead natural bait effective January 1, 2021. No exemptions were made for gear type or user groups and therefore this regulation includes shore-bound, private boat and anglers onboard for-hire vessels.

 

With no gear type exemptions allowed, the new circle hook requirement in place for 2021 includes but is not limited to such angling techniques as a tube and worm; eelskin rig; rigged eel; the addition of pork rind, squid, etc. to a bucktail jig; and any and all other scenarios where a natural bait is added to an artificial lure when targeting striped bass.

Edited by Roccus7

Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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On 12/18/2020 at 7:32 PM, TGIF Harpswell said:

Anybody have any idea how to swap hooks on tube rigs?

Yes. I do it all the time with my standard hook tube rigs.

 

it isn't all that hard if you have the right materials an tools.

 

You tube has a few videos from other anglers "on how too swap hooks on tube rigs" 

 

If I can get my lazy posterior out of my recliner sometime after the holidays....

 

I'll dig out the two cardboard boxes that harbor most of the materials and tools  that II will need to make a circle hook swap on one or two of my existing tube and worm rigs.

 

From there I can do a couple of quick experiments to see if I can get some idea as to what kind of hookup's I might be dealing with during the next striped bass season.

 

If I find anything interesting, I'll post it on this Roccus 7 "Holy Chit" site

 

 

 

 

Edited by Crozzbow

While the prospect of catching fish isn’t the only reason I love being on the water, it is one of the best excuses I have for continuing to go there.

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12 hours ago, Crozzbow said:

Yes. I do it all the time with my standard hook tube rigs.

 

it isn't all that hard if you have the right materials an tools.

 

You tube has a few videos from other anglers "on how too swap hooks on tube rigs" 

 

If I can get my lazy posterior out of my recliner sometime after the holidays....

 

I'll dig out the two cardboard boxes that harbor most of the materials and tools  that II will need to make a circle hook swap on one or two of my existing tube and worm rigs.

 

From there I can do a couple of quick experiments to see if I can get some idea as to what kind of hookup's I might be dealing with during the next striped bass season.

 

If I find anything interesting, I'll post it on this Roccus 7 "Holy Chit" site

 

 

 

 

The scientist me wonders how you will run this experiment?  I can't think of way to model simulated strikes in the basement or wherever your "Fishing Lab" is.

 

Yes please Dr. Crozzbow, keep us in the loop on your definitive Circle Hook Thesis!!

Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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29 mins ago, Bigred78 said:

No tube and worm but it’s still okay to throw some plug out with three treble hooks on it. I wonder which one damages a fish more? 

Not in Maine, more than 3 trebles on a plug has been a no-no for as long as the original circle hook edict here.  Both of those regs covered the non-existent bluefish too, so you can't use the, "Oh officer, I'm fishing for bluefish" ploy, but there are always mackerel...:naughty:

Edited by Roccus7

Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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